Pvt launch owners to operate Eid special services from tomorrow

Private launch owners will operate special services from Dhaka for 15 days, starting tomorrow (Thursday), to cope with the rush of passengers on the occasion of Eid. The ferries will leave from Sadar Ghat. Launch owners estimate that about four lakh passenger will avail of the special Eid services.They say 26 triple-deck private launches will ply directly from the Barishal river port and eight others via the Barishal launch station. This special service on Dhaka-Barishal-Dhaka route will be available till June 9.

Barishal DC SM Ajior Rahman said the ferry service management would be strictly monitored to ensure safe journey for passesngers.

Sufficient Coast Guard and River Police personnel would be deployed at key points from May 30 to prevent overloading of launches. Besides, mobile courts, led by executive magistrates, will be posted at different ghats and river points round the clock, he added.

Saidur Rahman Rintu, vice-president of the Barishal Launch Owners' Association, said  vessels would perform double trips from each end of the Dhaka-Barishal-Dhaka route in case of high pressure of passengers. Such trips would be arranged for three days before and  after Eid, he added,

The fare of a single trip on the Barishal-Dhaka route would be same as those fixed by the government—Tk. 260–280 for the deck, Tk. 600–800 for the sofa per seat, Tk. 1,200–1,500 for a single-seated cabin, and Tk. 2,200–2,500 for a double seated cabin.

Besides, double seated semi-VIP cabins would cost Tk. 2,800–3,000 and VIP cabins  Tk 6,000–10,000. They would have ACs, attached baths and privacy.  

On any normal day, four to six launches do daily trips from each end and each passenger has to pay 30%-40% less than the fares fixed for festival trips.

The fares are kept low because of the competition among launch operators to attract passengers, Rintu said. "We follow the fare fixed by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation  (BIWTC) for the route during Eid to offset the losses incurred during other times of the year," Rintu claimed.

The state-owned BIWTC started special Eid-trips with six vessels on May 16 and will continue to do so till May 30, said Syed Abul Kalam Azad, assistant general manager in charge of the BIWTC Barisal station.

Pvt launch owners to operate Eid special services from tomorrow

Private launch owners will operate special services from Dhaka for 15 days, starting tomorrow (Thursday), to cope with the rush of passengers on the occasion of Eid. The ferries will leave from Sadar Ghat. Launch owners estimate that about four lakh passenger will avail of the special Eid services.They say 26 triple-deck private launches will ply directly from the Barishal river port and eight others via the Barishal launch station. This special service on Dhaka-Barishal-Dhaka route will be available till June 9. Barishal DC SM Ajior Rahman said the ferry service management would be strictly monitored to ensure safe journey for passesngers. Sufficient Coast Guard and River Police personnel would be deployed at key points from May 30 to prevent overloading of launches. Besides, mobile courts, led by executive magistrates, will be posted at different ghats and river points round the clock, he added. Saidur Rahman Rintu, vice-president of the Barishal Launch Owners Association, said vessels would perform double trips from each end of the Dhaka-Barishal-Dhaka route in case of high pressure of passengers. Such trips would be arranged for three days before and after Eid, he added, The fare of a single trip on the Barishal-Dhaka route would be same as those fixed by the governmentTk. 260280 for the deck, Tk. 600800 for the sofa per seat, Tk. 1,2001,500 for a single-seated cabin, and Tk. 2,2002,500 for a double seated cabin. Besides, double seated semi-VIP cabins would cost Tk. 2,8003,000 and VIP cabins Tk 6,00010,000. They would have ACs, attached baths and privacy. On any normal day, four to six launches do daily trips from each end and each passenger has to pay 30%-40% less than the fares fixed for festival trips. The fares are kept low because of the competition among launch operators to attract passengers, Rintu said. We follow the fare fixed by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) for the route during Eid to offset the losses incurred during other times of the year, Rintu claimed. The state-owned BIWTC started special Eid-trips with six vessels on May 16 and will continue to do so till May 30, said Syed Abul Kalam Azad, assistant general manager in charge of the BIWTC Barisal station.